High-tension magneto



J. R. STARK.

HIGH TENSION MAGNETO.

Aprucmou mtu nunc 2s. lele.

PatentedSept. 18, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

l. R. STARK.

HIGH ENSiON MAGNETO.

APPLICATION min Jun: 26. |916.

1,240,61 5. PatentedSept. 18, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' of the armature structure,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN ROY STARK, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN, 'ASSIGNOR TO THE WEBSTER ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION 0F WEST VIRGINIA.

HIGH-TENSION MAGNETO.

Specicationot Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 18, 19137.

Applicatonledun'e.26,4916.- Serial No. 105,802.

To all 'wlwm'c't may concern:

Be -it known that I, JoHN- ROYVISTARK, a citizen of vthe-'Unitedt States, residin fat Racine, in the county Aof Racine and.` tate of Wisconsin, have invented certain ,new and useful Improvements Vin VI-Iigh-'lensioln Magnetos, -of which the following clear, concise, and exact-description, 'refer ence being had to the accompanying draw.- in s, forming a .part of this specification.

invention relates to hi h tension. magnetos of the type -employed or ignition. urposes in. 4connection with! yinternal .comustion engines. The object 'of Imy *present invention is .to provide novel means. for preventing premature and improper-tiring, said means being incorporated inv a novel magneto machine wherein the usual 'iv distributer and -its driving gear-arefeliminated,

In theaccompamying drawings illustrat ingjny invention,

i ig'ure 1 -is ia vertical laxial -sectional iview of my improved magneto machine;y

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional vviewta-ken on the-lineQ--Q of Fig. 1 and looking -i'n the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view; taken on the line 3-45 of Fig.l -1,and llook-ingin the direction indica-ted by the arrows;

Fig. i 'is a detailed view-vin cross 4section of one of the collector rings taken on the line l---c-of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views-showing the positions of the several parts duri-ng differentcycles when my invention is :tppliedto a 'four c'yiinder fou-r cycle internal combustion engine.

Simi-lar Ocl'iaraeters of reference refer to similarn parts throufghout the .severalwiews In the drawings 10 indicates the permanent magnets which are provided with the usual pole piecesl (not shown) and which are mounted upon a base 11 which may be formednas a separate piece or integral with -a horizon-tal and generally Acylindrical housingorbody portion 12. At 13 is illustrated-the armature which bears in the ends of the housing 12 and maybe provided with ball bearings if desired, although in thefaccom-panying drawings I have illustrated' ordinary oil bearings. theprimary f winding 14 grounded; to .the

Y is a full,

One end ofy armature coreand body and one member of a suitable Vprimary contact breaker `15 carried at one end of the armature shaft, while thevother end of the primary winding is connected with the other member Vof the Contact breaker in the usual manner. The condenser which is conveniently carried withthe armature structure is illustrated at 1T and is connected in the primary circuit ima manner well known to those skilled in the art.

T-he parts th'us far described forni no essential lpart of my -prcsent invention kand maybe of any suitable or well known co'nstruction, although l prefer that the armature structure per se shall be of the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein the .primary winding 14 -and the secondary wint ing-.18am mounted upon Yand 1 carried by. asuitable laminated core 19, which is disposed between [the ybrass yend plates-20 andf21, the ends of the lcore being retained inyposition between the ends of tarcuated plates y2.2--22 extending between the ends offthe core 19 and the end plates 20 and 21.

28 and '24 indicate a pair of collector rings which are preferably formed integral and ofinsulating material and which are fixedto rotate with the armature structure. The collector ring '23 is provided with -a contactsegment 23, and the collector ring 24 is `provided with a contact segment 242 The insulation which constitutes the colleci tor rings and carries the contact segments 23 and 24 is conveniently provided with a pair of integral bosses 25M-25 which extend through apertures in the adjacent armature ond plate 21. `The secondary armature winding 1S has its opposite ends connected -to the collector segments 23a and 24, as -is clearly shown in Fig. 1 andlFigs. 5 to 8 inclusive. It will be noted that the collector rings 23" and 211iL are disposed on opposite4 sides of the collector ring structure, and tha-t each of the collector segments extends around-its associated collector ring in 'an arc of a little more than 180 degrees.

Reference letters A, B, C and D indicate collectirig` brushes convenientlyV Acarried bythe biodyl port-ion or housing 12 of the inagnet'o, and: which are arranged in pairs on diametrically opposite sides 'of the collector rings l23 adaptedto alternately contact with the seg?` and 24, the brushes A and C being' nient 23, and the brushes B and D with the segment 24u.

Havin bearings in the magneto housing 12 and disposed above the armature shaft is a shaft 26 provided with a gear 27 meshing with a gear 28 fixed upon the armature shaft, the relation of the `gears being such that the shaft 26 is driven with and from the armature shaft'at a speed one-half the speed of the armature shaft. The shaft 26 similarly to the armature shaft has been illust-rated as provided `evith plain oil bearings, although ball bearing may, of course, be employed, if desired. Carried by the shaft 26 are a pair of electricity conducting sectors 23b and 24". It is to be understood that the shaft 26 as Well as the sectors 23b and 24h are of electricity conducting material and that therefore when either one of the sectors lies opposite one of the collector segments that segment is grounded to the magneto housing 12 through the shaft 26. The magneto is so mounted that its housing 12 is grounded to the frame of the associated engine, in order that the operation hereinafter to be described may occur. In order to prevent sparking at the points Where the shaft 26 is journaled, a spring pressed plunger 29 carried by the housing 12 presses against the gear 27, it being understood that both the gear 27 and the plunger 29 are of electricity conducting material.

Referringr now to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8, the cylinders of the four cycle internal combustion engine are provided with the'ordinary spark plugs illustrated at 30` 31. 32 and 33. The collecting brushes on one side of the collector ring structure` We may say the brushes A and B, are connected with the spark plugs of the cylinders A and B', while the brushes C and D, which are located on the other side of the collector ring structure, are connected with the spark plugs of the cylinders C and D'.

In the operation of the magneto when the pistons in the cylinders A and D are at the upper end of their strokes, the pistons of the intermediate cylinders B and C are at the lower end of their strokes as shown in Fig. 5. In the example shown the combustiblc mixture in the cylinder A has just been compressed and is being ignited. The piston in the cylinder B is beginning its exhaust stroke, the piston in cylinder C is beginning its compression stroke and the piston in cylinder D is at the end of its exhaust stroke. When thc parts are in the position just described the collector segments 23'* and 24 contact with the brushes A and D, and the grounding sector 24 lies adjacent one end of the collector segment 24". With the parts in these positions the secondary circuit is closed through collector segment 23, brush A, tospark plug 30, and

thence to ground and from ground through the grounding sector 21 to segment 24, and thence to the secondary windingr 1S. Vere the grounding sectors not provided the secondary current would have found a path through the spark plug 33 and thence back to the secondary winding 18 through the brush D and collector segment 24, and a useless spark would occur at the plug 33, inasmuch as the piston in the cylinder D is on its exhaust stroke. It will be understood that the grounding sector 24.* need not necessarily make perfect contact with the segment 24", the only requirement being that the path through the sector 24h and segment 24 be of less resistance than the gap at the spark plug 33. It will thus be seen that although the spark plugs are connected in pairs, the plugs 30 and 33 constituting one pair and the plugs 31 and 32 constituting the other pair, Whenever a spark occurs in the plug 30 theoccurrence of a spark at the plug 33 is prevented, due to the presence of the grounding sector 24". After a complete rotation of the engine crank shaft and magneto armature the collector segments reach the positions illustrated in Fig. 7, the piston of cylinder A being this-time at the end of its exhaust stroke., the piston of cylinder D at the end of its compression stroke and the collector segments in the same positions as shown in Fig. 5. However.` due to the fact that lthe shaft- 26 Which carries the grounding sectors travels at half armature speed the sector 23h this time lies adjacent the collector'segment 23, and the grounding sector 24h lies away from the segment 24a. In this case the secondary circuit is closed through segment 24, brush D, and plug 33 to ground. and thence through shaft 26, grounding sector 23", and collector segment 23 to the secondary Winding 18.

The same action takes place at the paired intermediate cylinders B and C as has been described in connection with the cylinders A and D.Y that is, whenever one of the cylinders B or C is in condition to have its compressed charge red circuit connections are established which tend to create sparks at both of the plugs 31 and 32, but the grounding sectors operate to prevent the passing of a spark at the plug not to be fired.

By the improvement herein shown and described the customary distributer and the gearing between it and the armature shaft are dispensed with. thus materially simplifying the construction of the magneto and reducing the cost `of its manufacture. Moreover, means is provided to absolutely prevent snarking at the plugs of cylinders not to be fired.

The construction of my improved magneto enables me to make use of comparatively long collector segments, thus minimizing sparking at the collector segments. More'- over, Ithe formatore fol". my impro vcdfma'gneto machine may.'be driven in either a clockwise or aconnter eloclrnise `direction without reversing the collector rings or changing their position.

Having thus described'my 'invention what I claim as new and-desire-toysecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In -a high tension magneto the-combination with a rotatable armature, a pair-of' collector rings movable with the armature, each of said collector rings provided with a contact segment, said segments being connected in circuit with the secondary coil of the armature, a pair of brushes coperating with each collector ring and a pair of grounding members cooperating with said collector rings and driven in timed relation thereto.

Q. In an ignition magneto having primary and secondary windings, a rotary armature, a pair of collector rings movable with the armature, each collector ring having a contact segment, said segments being connected in circuit with the secondary winding. a pair of brushes coperating with each collector ring and a pair of grounding devices, one coperating With each of said collector rings.

8. In combination with the rotary' armature of a high tension magneto, collector rings rotatable with the armature, each collector ring having a contact segment in circuit with the secondary winding of the magneto, Va pair of brushes cooperating with each collector ring, an internal combustion engine having a plurality of spark gaps connected in circuit with said brushes, a shaft driven in timed relation to said armature and grounding devices. one for each segment` carried by said shaft.

4. The cbmbination with the rotary armature of a high tension magneto, a pair of contact segments rotatable with the armature, a pair of brushes arranged to be engaged by each of said contact segments as the latter are rotated, means for connecting the segments in circuit with the secondary minding of the magneto and the brushes in circuit with the spark gaps of an internal combustion engine, a pair of grounding sectors cooperating with said contact segments and means for driving said grounding sectors in timed relation to the armature and contact segments.

5. The combination with the rotary armature of a high tension magneto1 a pair of Contact segments rotatable With the armature` said segments being connected in cir cuit with the secondary armature coil, a pair of brushes arranged to coperate with each Contact segment as the segment is rorated, an internal combustion engine having a plurality of spark plugs associated in pairs and electrically connected by the engine fran1e,the plugs'ofjeaeh pair being connected in circuit with a'diagonally Iopposite sel. of! said brushes to alternately spark Said pairs of sparkplugs, and means 'for periodically :grounding each` ofwsaid contact segments :to 'the engine frame.

6. The combination with the 'rotary armature of a high tension magneto, two collector'irings' rotatable' therewith andleach hav- 'ing a-contact segment, said segments being connected in circuit with the secondary coil of the armature and the segment of one collector ring being arranged on the opposite side from the segment of the other collector ring, a pair of diametrically opposite brushes cooperating with each collector ring, an internal combustion engine having spark plugs associated in pairs, each pair of said plugs being connected in series with the brush on one side of one collector ring and the brush on the opposite side of the other collector ring, and means for periodically grounding said collector segments.

In combination with the rotary armature of a high tension magneto, a pair of collector rings rotatable with the armature, a contact segment for each collector ring, means for connecting the contact segments in circuit with the secondary armature coil, a pair of brushes for each collector ring, a shaft disposed adjacent said collector rings and driven with the armature, and means carried by said shaft for periodically grounding said contact segments.

S. In combination with therotary armature of a high tension magneto, a pair of collector rings rotatable with the armature, oppositely disposed contact segments, one for each collector ring, means connecting nach segment in circuit with the secondary armature coil, a pair of diametrically opposite brushes for cach4 collector ring, a shaft adjacent said collector rings, means for driving said shaft from the armature in a relation of two to one, and grounding sectors carried by the said shaft arranged to coperate with said contact segments.

9. In combination with an ignition ma neto having primary and secondary Win ings, a pair of collector rings driven with the magneto rotor, a contact segment for each collector ring, a pair of brushes for each collector ring, means for connecting the contact segments in circuit with the secondary winding, a pair of oppositely disposed brushes for each collector ring, and a. pair of grounding sectors driven in timed relation to the rotor and arranged periodically to cooperate with said contact segments.

10. In an ignition magneto having primary and secondary windings, a pair of collector rings driven with the magneto rotor, a contact segment for each collector ring, means for connecting the contact segments in circuit with the secondary Winding, a In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe pair of brushes for each collector ring, a my name this 22 day of June, A. D. 1916.

shaft in proximity to said collector rings and driven therewith in the relation of two JOHN ROY STARK' to one, and grounding sectors carried by Witnesses:

said shaft arranged to coperate with said WALTER BROWN, contact segments. DAGMAR PETERSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

